Black Dragon Brewery opens this week

Black Dragon Brewery will officially open its doors to the public beginning at 11:30 a.m. Thursday for a soft opening.

"We think Woodland needs and deserves this for sure," said Heather Breatt, who owns and manages the brewery along with her husband, brewmaster Jason Breatt. "We need to put Woodland back on the map. This is our home; we want to have this place here."

The couple have lived in Woodland for nine years.

Nestled behind Rico's Pizza at 175 W. Main St., Suite B, the brewery will open as a tap house serving nine unique guest beers from local and Northern Californian breweries, with hearty appetizers and sliders to boot.

In the coming weeks, Black Dragon brews crafted by Jason Breatt - including the Dragon's Eye Porter - will be added to the roster until all 16 taps are filled with Black Dragon creations.

Along side Dragon's Eye Porter, patrons can expect Araya IPA, Gypsy Blonde Ale and Blueberry Blonde to fill taps soon. In addition to a core set of beers, the Breatts plan to rotate the selection with the seasons. According to Jason, there will be something for everyone's palate: From hoppy to malty, light to dark, high alcohol or low alcohol.

For those who can't get enough Black Dragon Brews, growlers - or glass jugs filled with a half-gallon of "to-go" beer - will be for sale once the beers are on tap.

"We want this place to be enjoyed by young and old alike," said Heather Breatt. "It will be a comfortable, nice place to be."

The site of the new tap house has been open since November in the form of Woodland Homebrew Supply shop, providing materials and ingredients to other avid home brew makers.

The tap house, with an industrial warehouse-meets-old-world tavern-style interior, is a natural evolution in the business plan.

"We have awesome customers and incredible regulars," Heather said. "New brewers and veteran brewers have found us. There is very much a family feeling to this place and we want the brewery to be the same: A place where people can bump elbows, have good beer and good times."

The building had been vacant for about five years before the occupancy of Woodland Homebrew Supply, and now Black Dragon Brewery.

Brewmaster Jason has been honing his craft for 12 years. He earned his degree in brewing science and engineering from the American Brewers Guild, which used to be located on Fourth Street in Woodland, at the site of the former Pepsi Co. bottling plant.

Jason has worked professionally in the industry for approximately eight years, and has been teaching brewing classes in the Bay Area for the same amount of time. Home brewing classes will resume at Woodland Homebrew Supply in the fall after the brewery is up and running.

The "Black Dragon" name and logo was coined a decade ago as Jason's personal home brew logo. It stuck.

"We like it because it's a bold name for the bold beers he brews," Heather said.

Heather, meanwhile, earned her degree in landscape architecture at UC Davis. She traded in residential landscaping and pools when the economy turned sour, around the same time the home brew business opportunity became available.

Woodland Homebrew Supply and Black Dragon Brewery has been in the works during the last two years after a family member, "decided to invest in our dream," according to Heather.

"The beers we will be serving are those that you don't find in your average bar or restaurant," Heather said.

Homemade soda and wines from Woodland-based Route 3 will also be on offer.

Customers can pair their beverages with food selections such as "Dragon Scales" (kettle chips drizzled with balsamic glaze and sprinkled with crumbled blue cheese and bacon), "Wanderer's Lunch" (Irish cheddar, warm brie and horseradish Havarti cheese served with fresh grapes and a petite baguette) or a "six pack" of sliders (with six choices of meat served on a brioche bun with kettle chips and pickles).

Once the brewery is open and the kinks have been worked out, the Breatts plan on holding a grand opening celebration later this year.

"Breweries are a destination," Heather said. "We want to be a part of the community. We're happy to be here, that's for sure."